IFC Midnight has faith in ‘Shrine’

Distributor picks up U.S. rights to thriller

IFC Midnight has picked up U.S. rights to “The Shrine,” the thriller from helmer Jon Knautz.

Aaron Ashmore (“Smallville”), Cindy Sampson (“Supernatural”) and Ben Lewis (“Scott Pilgrim vs. The World”) appear in the pic about journos whose investigation into the disappearance of an American backbacker in a small Polish village uncovers the dangerous secret of the town locals. Knautz and Brendan Moore wrote the script.

J. Michael Dawson produces and Brookstreet Pictures’ Trevor Matthews exec produces the movie, which last year screened at Montreal’s Fantasia Film Festival (where it scored the kudo for top Canuck feature) and L.A.’s ScreamFest.